I'm in Love with the Villainess!-Chapter 132: The Hell Is Going On!?

D-Did he seriously sense my presence? Through the walls?

H-How?

Normally, I wouldn’t question it. I had many colleagues in the past who could do the same thing. Especially now that I’m in a world full of magic like this, it shouldn’t be that unbelievable.

But I didn’t sense a single trace of magic from Father. Not only that...

The novel never even described him as someone competent enough to do that without magic.

He was just a minor character’s father, after all. After my original fate of being expelled from the academy, it took at least five hundred more Chapters before the name Arden was even mentioned again.

And even then, it was only mentioned as part of the background lore to the fall of Highwood, when, five months from now, the dwarves would successfully break through Vance Arden’s defenses and seize the land.

That’s when Julius himself comes in, under the king’s orders, to stabilize the region with his power.

’H-How is he here? It hasn’t even been five months yet...’ 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"My father’s home, you should go."

I said to Evelina quickly and disappointingly, did he really have to interrupt in a moment like this?

The last thing I needed was to complicate my father in all of this...

"Lord Vance?" Evelina’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t question me further. "Very well."

She just sighed. It wasn’t like this was the end of the world after all; we could always just meet up some other time.

[Dark Step—CRACK

"Huh?"

[Demonic Step—CRACK

"T-That’s odd... I can’t teleport."

"Let me try."

[Profaned Step—CRACK

H-Huh?

"I can’t as well..."

[A Powerful Entity Is Preventing Teleportation]

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

"Cael, are you there?"

Vance stopped in front of my door, his voice carrying a mix of pride and mild annoyance at my antics. On one hand, his son inviting a girl over was great. On the other hand, if she were an influential noble’s daughter, the paperwork and cover-up would be a nightmare.

"And don’t try to stay silent or leave, that isn’t going to work. I know what you’re doing in there."

I could hear his laugh through the door.

This was his doing?

Is he the powerful entity!?

B-But... but how?

"Oh for fuck’s sake..."

I muttered to myself, quickly getting dressed and wrapping myself in as much magic as possible to hide my scent.

[Profaned Manipulation]

I couldn’t let Evelina hide, nor could I have her escape through the window. If Father had already sensed us through the walls and prohibited teleportation, none of those precautions would work.

It was best if I’d just confront him directly.

CREAK!

"Y-You’re home quite early, father..."

I hesitantly opened the door, and...

Is that really Vance Arden? Is that really supposed to be my father!?

[Profaned Prince (Active)]

[Counteracting divine punishment from {Nyx}]

What!?

"That’s not exactly the hello I expected from you after I was gone for a few weeks."

Father grinned and pushed the door open softly. I stepped back to let him in—and, of course, to let him see Evelina.

She, however, remained perfectly composed. She’d been trained for unconventional situations like this, oddly enough. And luckily for her, she couldn’t see what I was seeing through my system.

"Greetings, Lord Vance."

She bowed. If she couldn’t escape, the best she could do was make a good first impression on her lover’s father.

"The Pride of D’Arclight? In my household?"

Father chuckled, then narrowed his eyes, clearly noticing that she was wearing my clothes—and that my hair was still a bit messy.

Crap... I was so focused on my scent that I forgot about that!

"...I can explain," I said immediately.

"That is typically what people say when they absolutely cannot," Father replied dryly.

Evelina didn’t even flinch.

"I required temporary accommodation," she said calmly. "Cael was generous enough to provide it."

"In his bedroom?" Vance asked.

She met his gaze without hesitation. "It was the most convenient location."

Father tilted his head, his face clearly saying, ’Do you seriously expect me to believe that?’

"You’ve got nerve, girl. I like that."

What.

That’s it?

No outrage? No fatherly interrogation like my memory suggested? No fainting from having a duke’s daughter enter the estate of a minor barony?

He stepped further into the room, glancing around casually. His eyes paused briefly on me, sensing something... wrong, then back at Evelina.

His lips twitched.

"...Convenient, hm?"

I could feel my soul trying to leave my body. All my instincts were flaring up.

All of them were saying one thing...

This person is dangerous, incredibly so.

"Father," I cut in quickly, "why are you back?"

That stopped him.

The amusement didn’t vanish—but it dimmed slightly.

"Straight to business?" he mused. "No hug? No, I missed you, Father?"

"You weren’t supposed to return for months," I pressed.

He tilted his head slightly.

"Plans change."

That wasn’t an answer. Or more specifically, an answer that made no sense in the context of the novel.

All of my actions as of now shouldn’t have affected most of the broader world yet; only Eryndor should have been noticeably changed.

That meant he shouldn’t have been home yet, nor would plans have changed.

So why?

"And Highwood?"

"Arden Territory now," he replied casually, then smiled. "The kingdom and empire would hear no more problems coming from them."

Evelina stepped forward half a pace—not defensive, but alert. Her family had important dealings near Highwood, and hearing something like that from him definitely concerned her.

My father was the only thing keeping Highwood from invading, if what he’s saying was true...

Then it was good news for her.

"If there is a situation developing near the border," she said diplomatically, "the D’Arclight family would prefer to be informed."

Father looked at her for a long second.

"...You’re not wrong."

Then his gaze shifted back to me.

"But before politics," he added lightly, "I’d like to understand why my son felt bold enough to bring the kingdom’s most dangerous young lady into his bedroom without so much as a letter."

He dismissed her?

My father brushed a D’Arclight off...?

To focus on something as domestic as me bringing a girl over?

What the hell is going on!?

Evelina clearly felt a bit annoyed, even if he was my father; did he seriously just ignore such an important question? A mere baron? Ignoring her over something as trivial as manners?

"My lord, your barony—"

Vance stopped Evelina before she could continue.

"Marquisate, actually."

Evelina’s eyes widened...

’A... a marquisate!?’